This invention relates to chemical proportioning apparatus and methods and more particularly to the field of apparatus and methods for supplying chemicals in a dispensing system wherein chemicals are drawn into a diluent and dispensed as a desired chemical mixture.
It has been known to provide a chemical dispenser with a plurality of concentrated chemical reservoirs or containers. Eductors are used to draw selected concentrated chemicals from respective reservoirs into a diluent, such as a flowing water stream. The mixed diluent and chemical are then dispensed into a further receptacle for use. Particular applications are, for example only, in the cleaning or sanitizing field where diluted chemicals are dispensed into receptacles such as spray bottles or buckets from which the mix is used to clean or disinfect surfaces, or both.
Such systems require periodic replenishment of the concentrated chemicals. Typically, a supplier or vendor will make a periodic visit to a chemical customer using the chemicals and deliver to the customer's inventory a sufficient number of chemical concentrate containers to fulfill the customer's needs until the next vendor visit. The customer is billed for the volume of concentrate or the number of fresh containers delivered.
This process is burdened with the need for the customer to finance the cost of the concentrate it retains in its inventory. The inventory supply must be sufficient for use until the next vendor visit, the frequency of which is most likely driven by factors other than need for chemical concentrates. For example, the vendor is typically a supplier of other customer needs, services, or consumables. If the chemical concentrate must be replenished on a more frequent basis, it may not be efficient for the vendor to visit on such a more frequent basis. Thus, the need for a customer/end user to purchase and store an inventory of concentrates.
Moreover, when an end user replaces a chemical container in his dispenser, it is common that a small amount of residual chemical remains in the container. Over time, the cost of this wasted, paid for concentrate becomes a significant expense.
Current structures of concentrate reservoirs and the apparatus in which they are used contribute to this problem. It is easier to simply remove one partially depleted container and attach a new one without worry of dumping unused concentrate into a new container, even if there were appropriate openings or ports to do that. Spills could be dangerous or contaminate the dispenser or its immediate area or location.
Small volume reservoirs, coupled with frequent vendor visits increases the waste and expense.
Moreover, an added and wasteful expense in this prior system arises from the cost of discarded or replaced containers, or the time and expense of cleaning and recycling containers, even if that could be accomplished.
Accordingly, it is desired to eliminate concentrated chemical waste while, at the same time, accommodating concentrated chemical refills so a constant supply is available, all while reducing the cost and space required for inventory.
It is also desired to provide apparatus to facilitate provision of adequate concentrated chemical supply without waste of containers or other concentrated chemical packaging.
It is also desired to facilitate periodic chemical vendor servicing of chemical dispensing systems, while reducing waste and concentrated chemical handling by the customer.
To these ends, a preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates a removable but reusable, refillable reservoir adapted to a dispenser apparatus and provided with “fill lines” or marks and made of material at least translucent so the content level can be seen in relation to the fill lines or marks. When a vendor arrives at the end user's facility, he simply fills an appropriate volume of concentrated chemical into the appropriate reservoir in the dispenser, noting the starting “fill” line and the “full” line of the replenished chemical. A simple calculation represents the amount of concentrated chemical filled into the reservoir and a notation of that amount is recorded manually or electronically for end user billing, inventory or other control purposes. In this way, the customer is billed only for what he receives (and eventually uses) and does not waste any unused chemical otherwise discarded in the old system when the reservoir was replaced.
In addition, the invention contemplates the use of different size reservoirs as a function of the volume of chemical concentrate anticipated to be used between scheduled visits of the chemical vendor. Large volume reservoirs are used in the dispenser where larger volumes of concentrated chemicals will be used between visits. When smaller volume use is anticipated for a given duration between “refill” visits, smaller reservoirs can be used. Preferably, each reservoir has common upper structure so that both larger and smaller reservoirs can be operationally placed in any position in the dispenser apparatus. As a result, the need for financing and storing surplus chemical concentrate is eliminated.
In this regard, the reservoir is uniquely shaped to serve multiple functions. Two top openings are respectively used for filling (front opening) and chemical pickup for mixing (rear opening). The side flanges at the top support the reservoir in the dispenser enclosure and allow the reservoir to slide in and out during chemical refilling and/or container cleaning or replacement. The front integral handle shape of the reservoir with the side indentations allow the user to grab the bottle from the front for easier handling. This becomes more important as the size of the bottle increases. Graduation marks and the translucent nature of the reservoir wall allow the user to easily see how much chemical is in the bottle or is refilled. There is a large flat front surface on the handle of the reservoir for label placement. All of these features are unique to the operation of the improved reservoir system.
These objectives and advantages will be even more readily understood from the following written description and from the drawings in which: